Microsoft Word - Apostolic Alignment

Annex 1 Dr. C. Peter Wagner Notes (Revised March 16, 2001) I. Foundational or governmental gifts. The basic text is Ephesians 4:11: “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers.” I like to call these foundational or governmental gifts or offices. Others call them “fivefold ministry” or “ascension gifts.” Now that these offices are being recognized, it is important to develop agreed-upon protocol as to how they should relate to each other positively. I have worked on apostles/prophets in Apostles and Prophets: The Foundation of the Church (Regal Books) and pastors/prophets in Pastors & Prophets: Protocol for Healthy Churches. I now see that some work needs to be done on apostles/apostles because it is becoming clear that there are many different kinds of apostles who minister in many different spheres. II. Definition of apostle: An apostle is a Christian leader gifted, taught, commissioned, and sent by God with the authority to establish the foundational government of the church within an assigned sphere of ministry by hearing what the Spirit is saying to the churches and by setting things in order accordingly for the growth and maturity of the church. What I have excluded in this definition: There are three biblical characteristics of apostles which some include in their definition of apostle, but which I have chosen not to include: (1) signs and wonders (2 Cor. 12:12), (2) seeing Jesus personally (1 Cor. 9:1), and (3) planting churches (1 Cor. 3:10). My reason for this is that I do not understand these three qualities to be non-negotiables. They characterize many, perhaps most, apostles. But if a given individual lacks the anointing for one or more of them, this, in my opinion, would not exclude that individual from being a legitimate apostle. III. Hyphenated apostles: Before considering the different ways that apostles minister in different spheres, it is important to recognize that many apostles are “hyphenated apostles.” They are frequently hyphenated with other government offices, such as Apostle-Prophet or Pastor-Apostle or Apostle-Evangelist, etc. They can also be hyphenated within the different ministry categories pertaining to apostles, such as horizontal apostle-vertical apostle or convening apostle-mobilizing apostle, etc.

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